This would have been a great musical adaptation, if it weren't for helena bonham carter. I loved the broadway musical, but HBC's singing in it makes me feel like Max Schrek after Catwoman electricutes him in Batman Returns. Lots of blood but the neck cutting isn't super graphic because it's covered by spraying blood. However theres some pretty icky body parts lying around in the cellar.
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Movie is darker, much bloodier than stage musical.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 16 and Up
What to watch out for
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Violence:
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Sex:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street was written by Sandie Angulo Chen
Parents need to know that this feature-film version of Stephen Sondheim's Tony-winning 1979 Broadway show isn't as family friendly as most musicals (and star Johnny Depp definitely isn't in Pirates of the Caribbean mode). In fact, there's enough blood in this dark story to rival a slasher flick. There are dozens of throat slittings, cannibalism (via pies made out of human meat), and -- it can't be said often enough -- pints and pints of blood spattered everywhere. And if that's not enough, a woman is raped, a girl is wrongfully committed to an institution, and a young boy drinks gin, helps dupe people, and murders someone.
Families Can Talk About
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- Families can talk about whether the movie's bloody nature is different from the gore in horror films. If so, how? Which has more impact, and why? Does it matter that the violence and bloodshed in this film are so stylized? Are viewers meant to find it funny, disturbing, or both?
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More on Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
What’s the Story?
Tim Burton's adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's legendary musical stars Johnny Depp as Sweeny Todd, the demon butcher of Fleet Street. Todd particularly despises London and everyone in it -- he's just arrived back after 15 years in prison, and he's thirsty to avenge those who away took his life (specifically, his wife and baby daughter). Todd returns to Fleet Street to kill the Judge (Alan Rickman) who wrongfully imprisoned him in order to seduce Todd's wife. But it's soon clear that if his nemesis won't do Todd the honor of staying for "the closest shave he's ever had," the gifted, psychopathic barber will make do with slashing the throat of any customer. His accomplice, Mrs. Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter), who remembers Todd from when he was the happily married Benjamin Barker, turns the fresh cadaver meat into tasty meat pies. And with her to cover up his many slashed corpses, Todd becomes a 19th-century serial killer with an ever-growing appetite. The blood spraying everywhere seems to prod him further and further to continue his messy work.
Is It Any Good?
Anyone familiar with Sondheim's revenge tale will be ready for a fair amount of blood and gore. But those less versed with the source material should be warned: This is not a general-audience Rodgers & Hammerstein production. Burton is the ideal director to tackle this particular musical, since he's a master at theatrically dark and moody sets. He doesn't disappoint, perfectly bringing Sondheim's bleak London -- "a great black pit" inhabited by the "vermin of the world" -- to the screen. Depp and Bonham Carter are excellent performers who obviously work seamlessly with Burton (one is his acting muse, and the other is the mother of his children). But trained singing voices aren't part of their skill set. Depp's is passable -- actually, better than expected -- but Bonham Carter's upper range is awful, and she has to make up for her shaky voice by talk-singing most of the lyrics. Still, despite their lack of singing prowess, they're otherwise well cast as an odd couple of Fleet Street crazies.
All of the supporting characters have significantly better voices, like the lovelorn Antony (James Campbell Bowers) and Todd's teenage daughter/the Judge's ward Johanna (Jayne Wisener), who's a vision of cornsilk hair and first-Soprano sweetness. And viewers will especially love Sacha Baron Cohen's appearance as swindling Italian barber Signor Pirelli, complete with hammy accent and bushy mustache. While Sweeney Todd offers an abundant amount of blood, it has equal doses of humor and wit. But if you're squeamish, be prepared to spend the second half of the film covering your eyes. And fans of the musical should know up front that they'll be underwhelmed by the singing. Still, it's true to the story, has a dazzling score, and is definitely worth seeing.
Movie Details
Studio: Paramount Pictures, Director: Tim Burton
Run time: 117 minutes
Theatrical release: 12/21/2007, DVD release: 3/31/2008
MPAA Rating: R for graphic bloody violence.
Run time: 117 minutes
Theatrical release: 12/21/2007, DVD release: 3/31/2008
MPAA Rating: R for graphic bloody violence.
Our Members Say
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Most Recent Reviews
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I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it
Helena Bonham Carter sings badly.
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Kids ages: 15
I rate this title on for age 14 and give it- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Negative role models
Wow
My Son Johnny was bugging me to watch this movie. I saw this review and told him NO!!! I became curious about the film so I decided to watch it my self and I found out that this review is completely false. There is no use of the F-word and there is no sexual assault or rape in this film. I then after watching it my self, allowed my son to watch it
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Kids ages: 15
I rate this title on for age 14 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Negative role models
Wow
My Son Johnny was bugging me to watch this movie. I saw this review and told him NO!!! I became curious about the film so I decided to watch it my self and I found out that this review is completely false. There is no use of the F-word and there is no sexual assault or rape in this film. I then after watching it my self, allowed my son to watch it
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I rate this title iffy for age 15 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Negative role models
Sweeney Todd
This is one of Johnny Depps best performances! This film is a dark graphic tale of love, betrayal, and revenge. Very bloody revenge, might I add. The songs are very well done, and come across as very humorous at times. This movie is directed towards older teens, as it is quite graphic in nature. Not too much language, only a couple uses of s**t and one use of f**k. Sexual content includes implied rape (pretty brief), and racy costumes. As for violence... Well, this one takes the cake. Possible one of the most gorey films I have seen in a while. Blood is literally everywhere. Many people have their throats slit, slashed, and end up mutilated. Sometimes, it even happens in slow motion. Ridiculous amounts of blood always comes flowing from the throats, often spurting everywhere including onto Sweeney. After they have been gruesomely dispatched in such a manner, Sweeney steps on the lever that sends them down a trap door, where they land on a hard concrete floor. Usually on their heads, which explode like watermelons upon impact. After this bloody event, they are chopped up, and ground into meat. Which is then put into the most popular pies in London. Needless to say... This film is not for kids, or anyone easily offended or grossed out.
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I rate this title on for age 17 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Inappropriate language
- Negative role models
Blood and revenge.
Sweeney Todd is one of the best movies I have ever seen. I love gory movies and this one got me started. It showed me that revenge is something to wait for but not to kill for, because it will not be how you will expect it to be. I beleive that if he hadn't been so bent on revenge, he wouldn't have killed his wife and found out she was still alive and had forgotten the judge.
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Ratings at a Glance
| 27% | of parents say it's too violent |
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